Team of Links

The History and The Nominations

Many moons ago, my husband's high school coach, Jack Ary, gave links to his Conant Cougars in order to help them come together as a team. Each young man was given a link to carry with him as a reminder that he was a part of something bigger than himself. I loved the symbolism and started the tradition at ZB in 1998. For the first few seasons, each woman on the team was issued a link, and at the conclusion of the season, we relinked them into a strong chain. One season, however, the seniors decided that each runner should earn her link because being "linked" is a state of mind and should not come for free, and what had started as a "borrowed" tradition truly became our own.

Over the years, women have nominated each other for breaking through in a race...for helping a teammate through a difficult time...for hosting a team pasta party...for showing that linked spirit. And as alums have come home for Bee Linked in July, visited at meets, or checked in via FB, they have bragged that they still carry their links to this day. It goes without saying then, that a nomination to receive a link is the highest honor our team can give: a link from a teammate says, "You are part of our tradition."

This season, the following runners have been #linked4life: IsaacMiguelKelseyMayaTristenMarioMarcosJennaMarisaAshleyKailaCarmenNathanJenni​Andrew F.